Book 135 of 200 ~ 2023

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

I am a massive Charles Schulz and obviously, Peanuts Fan. I religiously watch the specials for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas yearly and have even roped in Jerrid since he moved.

I have read every hardcover set that I can find at the @publiclibrarysg, but I am sad that I couldn't finish them all. I have tried looking for the missing ones online to buy, but.. sadly
I haven't found them all.

This was a cleverly illustrated biography of Schulz, done in the style of Schulz's 6 days of black and white 3 columns and big Sunday in colour strip and the little mentions of sweet baboo or the kite eating tree, for example, sent me squealing.

What was a bit confusing was when they went back and forth sometimes, but you couldn't tell whether it was Schulz or the dad.. but other than that,this was a brilliant tribute, and I am so so glad I scored an ecopy.

One star just because of whom it is about :)

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, @netgalley

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Ok, first off I want to say my hat is off to the writer and illustrator. They NAILED the feel of the Peanuts cartoon strip format. You can tell that this was a work of love for them and not work. They really honored Schulz in how they told the story of his life.

That being said, the subject matter was VERY sad at times. It was a life, so it has the usual sad things. Love unrequited, rejection, divorce, death of loved ones, war, physical illness, inability to do what one loves due to said illness and then the inevitable death. There were the positives too, marriage, children, love, but the negative isn't sugar-coated.

Also, since we are none of us angels, Schulz comes off as kind of a jerk at times. Not my place to judge, but there were a few times when I was like, "really?" So warning, if he is your idol, he has feet of clay, just like all of us.

There was one section where I didn't quite get the connection between while he was married, falling in love with his friend and then the divorce. If infidelity was the reason for the divorce or it happened due to lack of love between him and his then-wife, it wasn't made clear.

That being said, while I DID appreciate the book's format, I didn't enjoy the subject matter as much as I thought I would, but I am NOT an artist, so probably didn't get out of this what more artistic people might.

3, not for me but I think others would enjoy this, stars.

My thanks to IDW Publishing/Top Shelf Productions for an eARC copy of this book to read and review.

This was a good look at man behind the world of Charlie Brown. I enjoyed the comic strip style instead of a graphic novel and the choose of colour in certain sections and none in others. I learned a lot about Schultz’s life and how he became a cartoonist. It was an easy read and I was very happy with the storytelling.

I received an arc via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I am a huge fan of comic strips, including Peanuts. I found this biography both fitting and heartwarming.

It really did have the vibe of a strip that Mr.schultz himself would write and was really comforting. I highly recommend this biography for any fans of Saturday morning funnies. You won't be disappointed.

Throughout the comic-strip-novel, Matteuzzi evokes the style and vibe of Shulz’s art, without becoming a copycat or a parody. It is all so darn nice, in the best way possible. Full review here: https://www.jbspins.com/2023/08/funny-things-comic-strip-biography-of.html

Anyone old enough to remember the days when their parents received their in-depth news from newspapers, will remember racing to get the comics section first. Charles M. Schulz, the creator of “Peanuts” was one of the kings of the “funny papers”. Funny Things pays tribute to him in a biography written appropriately enough in a comic strip format. The artist did not try to mimic Schulz’s style, but the drawings are reminiscent of comic strips from the fifties and sixties. The story is told with several three or four panel strips in black in white, followed by a larger color strip. The choice is a nostalgic reflection of the black and white daily strips and the large color Sunday strip.

The book begins with several vingettes about Charles Schultz’s childhood. Peanuts centered on Charlie Brown, an anxiety ridden, socially inept child and it is evident here that Charlie Brown was somewhat autobiographical. These early strips show a child in a tense situation and end with a punchline, much like the original they are purposely emulating. That section of the book was laugh out loud and reminded me of when I would read the funnies so many years ago. As the book follows the comic author’s life, the situations get more serious. But even the most serious situations often had a punch line. Due to the format, situations were often simplified, but the book still addressed important events about Schulz’s family and personal foibles. I enjoyed this first peak at his life and will definitely be seeking out a more in-depth biography in the future.

I want to thank IDW Publishing, Top Shelf Productions, and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader’s Copy and the opportunity to read this fantastic book prior to publication.

Telling Charles Schultz’s life in comic strips seemed like a brilliant idea at first - and just perfect for a man that lived and breathed the comic strip format and whose work touched millions and millions of people. And it still is (a brilliant idea) just not very well executed :(

The art is nice (although not even remotely close to Peanuts) the biographical bits are nice (although I didn’t learn anything new from here) there’s poetry and philosophy and a lot of nostalgia in there - but, unfortunately, the humor is too subtle, too polite, and falls flat way too often. And that, in my humble opinion, is a cardinal sin.

In the end, this is a book for hardcore fans only, because if you want to know mr. Schultz, you don’t need this album, you just need to read Peanuts - he’s in there, and not just Charlie Brown, but each of those characters are parts of himself.

This is a very sweet comic. The comic strip explains the story of Charles M. Schulz's life and how he became one of the most popular cartoonists of all time. Growing up, I read little the Peanuts strips, but I watch the Peanuts when I was a kid. I like the comic is biography of Charles Schulz, but done in a creative and imaginative way. I notice that some of the comic strips are black and white, while others are in colors.

I wish the comic strip can stick with one color. However, I do like the art style of the comic, it's very nice and soothing. The art style gives out a simple and calm vibes which work well for the comic. I love how the comic strips showcase Charles Schulz's journey to being a cartoonist. I will admit some gags in the comic strips made me laugh.

Overall, this is a very sweet comic that tribute the legendary cartoonist Charles Schulz and tells the story in a fun and creative way.

I love Charles Schulz so much, I named my son after Charlie Brown. But this graphic biography was hard to get engrossed in, despite loving Schulz's life and creative output so much.

DNF

This was a wonderful way to read about Charles Schulz’s life. Funny Things renewed my love for the comic strip format. These gag strips reminded me of my early years when I was first introduced to comics. The book is incredibly lovable and entertaining. My favorite moments are when an older Charles Schulz recounts moments from his past. These strips really helped bring the biographical nature of Funny Things to life for me. Using comic strips to tell Charles Schulz’s story feels like a rightful celebration of one of the world’s greatest cartoonists.

I received an electronic ARC from IDW Publishing through NetGalley.
This look back at Charles Schulz life through comic strip captures the spirit of Peanuts while created in the authors' own style. I appreciate following Schulz' life through strips told from his perspective. The authors don't offer a deep dive but cover his life from childhood until shortly after cancer forced his retirement. This is not for someone who wants to explore every nuance of Schulz' life but it offers an overview with humor and compassion for readers who appreciate using the medium to tell the tale

It's an interesting, even admirable approach to make this in the style of a comic strip. Unfortunately, by doing so the authors invite comparison to what most readers of this likely see as the greatest comic strip of all time. And this does not have the charm and wit of Peanuts. It's also at least 100 pages too long.

First, hats off to the author, illustrator--and publisher--for taking a big swing with this one. A 440-page (!) graphic novel told in comic strips that functions as a biography of Charles Schulz, creator of PEANUTS?! Unfortunately, this just missed the mark for me.

You can't help but compare the artwork to Schulz's own...and that's a tall order for any artist. (I might even say EVERY artist.) Second, many of the strips are formatted with punchlines/sight gags a la PEANUTS strips. Many of which worked, and had me smirking! Sparky would have nodded along, too, I like to think. The issue is that the constant stream of gags breaks up any attempt at longform storytelling. It also clouds the waters of the biographical material (which the author notes in the introduction). It's all very ambitious, but more straightforward graphic biography might have worked better for the subject.

What better way to learn a bit more about the life of Charles Schultz than through comic strips! They reminded me of his works, too. I appreciated seeing both the childhood parts and the older days parts intertwined.

As a long time Charles Schulz fan, I found the concept behind this book intriguing. Take a look at Schultz's life and work via the comic strip style. I've read quite a few words on Schultz and expected to enjoy a few laughs.

Parts of it were rather interesting and I don't recall knowing his interest in golf, but for the most part I came away feeling rather sad. Whether Schultz really did suffer from almost crippling anxiety at times or it was just the author's choice to tie the real Charles Schultz to his perpetually inept, anxious Charlie Brown or just my own interpretation, I am on the fence. In any case, that sense of "poor Charlie Brown....er, poor Charles Schultz" never quite left me. As tributes go, I guess I was just expecting more "Yes!" for his triumphs, which were really many, without them being dampened by negative thoughts from both Schultz and those about him, let's say. That said, we're told upfront that it's a tribute, not a biography, with dialogue mostly imagined and situations simplified.

Bottom line, while I didn't love it, I didn't hate it, either. There is a lot to take in here of Schultz's life and it's a good introduction to the origin of much of the foundation of the Peanuts strip characters/events. People are complicated, creative types perhaps more-so than many, so it was an interesting if slightly downer of a learning experience. But, hey, the little red-headed girl called him. I also like how they used two other favorite cartoonists of mine, both now largely retired, to basically chat about life as a cartoonist and retirement with Schultz. It had an upbeat ending, a plus after I'd been feeling sorta bummed.

A solid 3.5 for me, rounded to a 4 star for the obvious care and research that went into the book and the list of sources, even documentaries, provided at the end.Thanks #NetGalley and #IDWPublishing - #TopShelfProductions for this time travel back to a time when the comic strip was my sole reading choice in the newspaper. Who'd have ever thought we'd still be reading Peanuts all these years later. Happiness is definitely a warm puppy, so was glad to see the tribute to the dogs in Schultz's life.

Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schultz will be published on August 29, 2023. Top Shelf Productions, an imprint of IDW Publishing, provided an early galley for review.

I own all twenty-six volumes of The Complete Peanuts. To say I am a fan is an understatement. The work of Charles Schultz has always been a part of my life from as long as I can remember. So, this upcoming book instantly drew me in.

First off, I absolutely adore the format that Debus and Matteuzzi chose. Doing six black-and-white strips followed by one larger series in full color perfectly mirrors the daily and Sunday formats of the classic Peanuts series. Also, in their own way, they succeed at bringing about the mood and humor of Schultz's work as they tell a version of his life story. For me, this all hits the right nostalgia mark.

A good biography should always enlighten as well as entertain. Though I knew a lot about Schultz's life, I learned quite a few new facts from this one as well. That made it time well spent. I am certain others who pick this up will also come away with the same feeling.

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publisher IDW Publishing for an advanced copy of this unique comic strip biography of one of the greatest creators to work in the medium.

I have always loved newspaper cartoon strips, something that started well before I was able to read. Growing up with New Yorkers as parents, even after moving away my parents would buy the New York Daily News, The New York Post, and probably the New York Times, but they didn't have a cartoon section so I didn't care. Page after page of cartoon strips when people still cared about the funnies. For some reason, even though it was always in the front I always read Peanuts last. It was my thing. As I got older and went tag sales, libraries and their book sales, or thrifting I would always find Peanuts or Snoopy stories and buy them, no matter if I had them in one form or another. I loved the oddness of the early strips, the character design, the later strips with the smooth look, the minimal backgrounds, the stories that went on. Charles M. Schulz was a skillful master of the comic strip medium, who understood both the industry and the audience, nudging both when needed, and opening up horizons no one ever thought of. Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles M. Schulz by Luca Debus & Francesco Matteuzzi follows the man called Sparky by his friends from his youth, success, and to the last time he placed his pen down, for good.

The book is told in comic strip form, so six black and white strips, followed by a color section where a Sunday strip would be. Readers meet Sparky at a time when being a cartoonist was important to him, as he was a kid with a lot of issues, and had problems being around other people. The book follows his youth, his military service, meeting Schulz's first wife and the ideas he had for various strips. Peanuts is covered, the success it brought him, along with having to deal with a ghost artist and writer for his other strips, that also were doing well. Corporations came to Schulz with advertising ideas, which Schulz went for, but with a control on how his characters were presented. Books, a successful Christmas special, that still garners high rating, made on his terms with Bill Melendez raised Peanuts to an almost Disney level. And would only get higher as the decades went on.

A unique way of telling the life of a man who love telling stories in comics, and I am sure after trying to talk the persons out of doing it due to modesty Schulz would have gotten a kick out of. This is a bit of a hagiography as readers of Chip Kidd's biography will notice, but still is a interesting read. The graphic novel is long. And I understand the strip idea, but a lot of the jokes don't really hit that well, and a little bit more editing might have trimmed out some extra fat. The art though is really good, and fits well with the story. And if certain sections don't have a reader tearing up well I don't know what to tell you.

A very interesting idea, that might run long, but is still very interesting and good for readers both familiar with Schulz, and are new to Peanuts. Characters, names, ideas, are shown and explained, along with how Schulz pretty much mined his life and feelings for story ideas. A very different presentation, but one fitting for such a special creator.

I have to give major props to the author as they definitely did their research! However, I expected something different. This was LONG for a graphic novel (400+ pages is long for most novels, really) and I felt like it could have easily been half the length. It is very nice to honor Charles M. Schulz but I hoped to have more of the Peanuts vibe to the art and writing. The art style is lovely, though. For a book called "Funny Things," I thought that I would be finding it much more humorous as I read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

The idea of this comic book seems good on paper. However, it unfortunately doesn't translate into an enjoyable read. I found it boring and not funny at all. I couldn't even get myself to finish it, as I wasn't at all invested in the characters. It's a bummer, cause I really wanted to like it. I hope it works out better for others.

Funny Things: A Comic Strip Biography of Charles Schulz by Luca Debus and Francesco Matteuzzi, is 445 pages of comics strips honoring the comic strip art and life of Charles Schulz. I like the impulse to honor him through the very medium he used. He would have liked that move. But neither their storytelling nor art style truly honors the spirit of his work, in my opinion. His art style and storytelling are both much simpler--very minimalist and wry--compared to the biographer’s work.

And Schulz is funny, whereas this biography rarely is. I have read whole collections of Peanuts, and I have read biographies (or maybe one?) of Schulz and did not find them a chore to plow through. Which I often found with this biography, unfortunately. Again, I appreciate the impulse to a comics biography and to fans of Peanuts, to know his life might be of interest.

I might trim it down considerably, like cut a quarter of it, or few people will read it, I’m afraid. Also, there’s a lot of filler in it.
Thank you to IDW Publishing, Top Shelf Productions, NetGalley, and the authors for providing an early copy of this graphic biography for review